Get With the (Witness Protection) Program

The night did not start smoothly. The Greede Family, one of the opening bands, caused havoc when Paradise management had to cut off their electrical power after their show ran too long.

Refusing to relinquish the spotlight, they roamed the stage saying, “Fuck that, you’re all here to see us.”

The stage finally cleared when a scuffle broke out and security intervened.

“It was unfortunate, but it wasn’t that serious,” said WPP keyboardist Dr. ATM. “It was just a bunch of drunk guys who wouldn’t get off the stage. In music I guess you run into these situations where it’s just out of your control…There’s very little you can do.”

He says he thinks the Paradise turned away at least a hundred people who arrived just after the bust.

But the WPP was unfazed by the incident.

“In the [pre-show] huddle, we all looked at each other and we were like, ‘We’re not going to let this interfere with our music. We’re not even going to think about it,’” ATM said.

Peace was restored when the WPP took the stage—and a different kind of onslaught began.

“In the words of LL Cool J, Paradise is very nice,” MC Absurd told the cheering audience as the band, complete with guitar, bass, percussion, keyboard and turntables, filled out the stage. The WPP proceeded to break into their fiery opener “Beast (v.).”

“It’s beast as a verb,” ATM told The Crimson. “Like, I will beast your world. I will beast your existence.”

With the song’s powerful riffs and beats, it’s safe to say the audience’s existence was beasted.

The hour-long set went on to bend genres in the WPP’s unique style.

The heavy, guitar-led “Dip the Tip” was bolstered by an elaborate drum solo from PK-1. “Carol of the Bells” cleverly worked the Christmas folk melody into a modern hip-hop framework.

Although they take their music seriously, the WPP says they’re just a bunch of guys looking to enjoy themselves and have fun with the audience.

For instance, Benny from the ’Burbs used the show to show off his elegant T’ai Chi moves. During “The Covex Dance,” Covex (turntables) rolled up one pant leg and shimmied on a single foot in a circular motion.

“Everyone has to jump up and down,” Absurd said. “Or if you’re disabled, do the Covex dance, which would make you look disabled anyway.”